Lawyer: Pa. teacher suspended over blog reinstated

A suburban Philadelphia high school teacher suspended over a blog in which she called students "disengaged, lazy whiners" has been reinstated to her old job and is mulling whether to return this fall, her attorney said.

English teacher Natalie Munroe learned of the decision Wednesday and was taking a few days to digest it, attorney Steven L. Rovner said in a statement. She will be allowed to return to her Central Bucks East High School classroom this fall, at the same school and teaching the same classes, Rovner said.

"I personally believe that her talents as a teacher would best be utilized in a different school within the district, however, this is not an option," Rovner said. "She is taking a few days to digest this development in what has become an important national first amendment, employment, and education case."

A message left with the district by The Associated Press was not immediately returned Wednesday. The Intelligencer of Doylestown reported that the district's human resources director confirmed Munroe would return, but declined further comment.

Munroe was suspended in February after the district became aware of her blog, in which she described some students as "frightfully dim," "whiny" and "tactless."

"My students are out of control," Munroe wrote in one post. "They are rude, disengaged, lazy whiners. They curse, discuss drugs, talk back, argue for grades, complain about everything, fancy themselves entitled to whatever they desire, and are just generally annoying."

She also listed some comments she wished she could post on student evaluations, including: "I hear the trash company is hiring"; "I called out sick a couple of days just to avoid your son"; and "Just as bad as his sibling. Don't you know how to raise kids?"

Munroe did not use her full name or identify her students or school in the blog, which she started in August 2009 for friends and family. She was suspended with pay earlier this year after students brought it to the attention of the school.